FRISCO, Texas – Beginning this fall, you might watch a BYU sporting event with the Cougars donning a sponsorship patch on their uniforms.
Starting on August 1, the NCAA has granted Division I programs the ability to place patches or commercial logos on uniforms.
It’s another way for athletic departments to generate money that can help pump money back to the athletes in the revenue-sharing era.
BYU is exploring this option.
BYU AD Brian Santiago at the Big 12 Spring Meetings
In an exclusive interview with BYU athletics director Brian Santiago at the Big 12 Spring Meetings, Santiago acknowledged that BYU is considering adding jersey patches to uniforms.
“We’re pursuing those avenues because it’s an additional opportunity to stay viable with our revenue streams, and there’s certainly a lot of exposure that comes from our football jerseys, our basketball jerseys, and our Olympic sports,” Santiago said to KSL Sports.
Santiago didn’t get into which companies BYU is considering for the patch, but did note that “there’s a lot of interest from a lot of different corporate sponsors in those jersey patches.”
“From the standpoint of exposure and partnering with the best companies in the world, we’re very fortunate at BYU to have some of the most powerful companies in the world that are interested in furthering the mission of BYU as a whole, not just the financial model. They’re the reason people invest in BYU athletics.
“Because they’re very invested in the lives of the student athletes and the overall mission of the University and institution. That’s a powerful combination, that is Cougar Nation.”
Division I programs are jumping on board with sponsorship patches
Some FBS programs that have already landed corporate sponsor patch deals for the upcoming season include LSU with Woodside Energy and Memphis with FedEx.
UNLV football landed a five-year, $11 million sponsorship patch deal with Acesso Biologics.
There’s clearly some big money to pull in from these patches.
Sponsorship patches are becoming more common in sports. The NBA has had sponsorship patches for nearly a decade, dating back to the 2017-18 season.
Will BYU get sponsorship patches on uniforms for the upcoming 2026-27 athletic year?
“We’re hopeful,” Santiago said. “Certainly, we’re vetting the process, making sure that we’re partnering with the very best companies, and we’re hopeful that this is a win-win for both sides. But yeah, just like all the other schools in the Big 12 and across college sports, that’s a very important measure that a lot of people have heard about. We’re currently in the process of selecting our jersey patch.”
Mitch Harper is a BYU Insider for KSL and hosts the Cougar Tracks Podcast daily on KSL Sports YouTube and KSL NewsRadio (SUBSCRIBE). Harper also co-hosts Cougar Sports Saturday (12–3 p.m.) on KSL NewsRadio.
Follow Mitch’s coverage of BYU athletics in the Big 12 Conference on X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram: @Mitch_Harper.
Want more coverage of BYU sports? Take us with you wherever you go.
Download the new and improved KSL Sports app from Utah’s sports leader. Allows you to stream live radio and video, keeping you up to date on all your favorite teams.
Follow @Mitch_Harper
Follow @kslsports
Like us on Facebook
